Number of empty council houses in Sheffield revealed

Alex Moore

There are more than 650 empty council houses in Sheffield, according to new figures revealed this month.

A total of 674 properties across the city are currently vacant, out of about 40,000 - roughly 1.5 per cent.

New social housing in Darnall.

The figure was revealed after a Freedom of Information request by estate agent eMoov.co.uk, sent to 270 council across the country.

There are 261 empty homes in Doncaster, 158 in Rotherham and 151 in Barnsley.

The firm’s founder and CEO Russel Quirk said it was 'scandalous’ that so many homes were empty, adding: “We’ve seen numerous plans and announcements by the Government to tackle the housing crisis and help the average UK homebuyer in previous years, all of which have amounted to little more than regurgitated rhetoric.

“It would seem that parties across the entire political spectrum need to get their own house in order first and utilise the resources already at their fingertips, rather than investing in another failed housing initiative.”

But the council said most properties were empty because they were being repaired or improved.

The authority has committed to providing an extra 1,000 council houses in the city by 2021 - many of which will be new-build.

A spokesman said: “We will always have a small proportion of empty properties as we’re either doing work to maintain or improve them, or re-letting them.

"However we always try and keep this time to a minimum.”

Sheffield does not have a council house waiting list, but people can register for rehousing and place bids on properties when they are actively looking.

Most people on the council's housing register are already living somewhere and have signed up in order to build up their waiting time.